I'm working on a comic strip for my website. I've had this idea for quite a while and am following through, I have about three strips done so far. The only problem is that the jokes are funny to me and to my friends (all girls within that 16-25 age range). Those aren't usually comic readers. Although I want to do my own thing (silly girl type humor), I worry that other people won't get it.
Instead of changing to be what I think people want, I tried to just adapt the formula of comic jokes into my own. But the question is,... what makes a comic funny? I love comics like For Better or Worse and One Big Happy for the art but hate the corny punch lines (the kind that make you groan). So I've been looking at a lot of Luann, Liberty Meadows and Big Nate for their quick wit and how their strip almost reads like a sitcom set up.
Can anyone give me some advise?
Valerie
PS- hows the pink font holding up? If it's hard on the eyes, I'll change it. ;)
Valerie,
Don't change your comic to please the rest of the world. Do what you find funny and fun. If your strip appeals to 16-25 year old girls, so be it. That's your target audience, and focus on them. If you try and make it appeal to everyone, it will feel watered down, and more than likely you will loose your 16-25 year old girl audience. The reason strips like Calvin and Hobbes and Liberty Medows do well is becuase you can see that the artist believes in the world that he is creating.
I hope this sort of helps.
The Ape
...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."
Helps a lot Ape. The weird thing is that a lot of girls don't read comics. I'm saying that, of course from being a girl and taking a look around when I would go to pick up my own.
If my comic is about girls written for girls, then how will I attract an audience?
Greg Evans told me once to write what I know and say what I need to say and the comic will turn out great. So that's what I've been doing.
How do I attract a broader audience without it being 'watered down'?
How about trying to get your comics into a girls magazine aimed at the same demographic? Or maybe approach a company like a cosmetic or some sort of feminine product company and come up with an ad campaign. For example, there are lots of campaigns here in Australia that use an ongoing series of jokes in there ads, aimed at one gender in the market. There's one- "Lynx", which is a men's deodorant. Their slogan is "The Lynx Effect" and their ads depict a bloke wearing the deodorant and he has something different and crazy happen to him when he's around women. We have several beer ads that work with the same idea: each time you're waiting to see what the next gag will be. Maybe you could take this concept to print- Each month's issue of the magazine could have maybe half a page with your comic strip and then a relevant sponsoring company's logo and slogan at the bottom. I'm not sure if I'm getting this idea across clearly, but you mentioned that not many girls read comics. I personally don't either unless they are in the newspaper. If at that age I was reading a teen mag and there was a cool comic that I found funny especially if it was aimed at boys, clothes, school, music etc, I would want to read it. Using a product's advertising could be a win-win situation: you get your work out there and on paper and a company has a way of drawing attention to their product! Just an idea! Good luck!
I can't imagine myself doing a strip because I admire anyone who can be funny without repeating themsleves as Charles Schulz once said.
Don't change a thing or pander to marketing, it would loose its sincerity.
I can tell you what makes a crappy strip. When it's not about what it says it's about. I believe if a strip is about cavemen or a cat the joke should be unique to those characters. Not a knock-knock joke or a stupid pun that could be told by anyone. In fact as long as the strip is true to its universe I can forgive it not always having a joke but maybe a charming slice of life like Mutts or A Rose Is A Rose.
That's what I love about For Better Or For Worse. I don't read it daily but when I do it's like seeing old friends and seeing how much they've matured. That is one strip that has never been in a rut.
P.S- BTW, I'm not sure girls don't read strips as much as guys. I'm sure they do. I had two sisters and they read the comics in the papers. COmic books might generally be a different story but they're taking a hit all round. The one comic girls in my generation loved...and my neices probably about your generation is Archie series......Just build it kid, they will come.
there are more and more comics that are being a regular thing in womens magazines. I think that seventeen (and all spinoffs) are accepting comics and welcome people to submit. I also think that I've seen a regular monthly comic in cosmo... but I may have the wrong magazine. I get to look through so many and they do blend togather. That could be a venue. Submit to the womens magazines. They have the right audience, clientelle, and the money.
Don't do nothing because you can't do everything.
I can not thank you guys enough for your words and support. I'll post the first few strips when I get them inked (I'm still playing with the exact wordings). ;)
Thanks again! I'll try to get on here and contribute a little more (I'm such a slacker :rolleyes: )
Valerie